Termination of life support/sustaining system

[arctic]

I have heard stories of patients who live with life support system. Sometimes, the condition is so worse that the patient's brain is clinically dead yet the heart and other body parts still function with the aid of life sustaining devices. From experience, I have heard story of a distant relative in coma, who breathed her last upon being removed from the system. During her final day's, her body's waste being eliminated were dark and smelled really awful. The nurses really had to bear with the terrible smell. The family made a discussion and decided to remove her from the life support. It took less than a minute or so for her to pass away. Withdrawing and withholding a life sustaining device is a tough decision to make. Most of the times, we hold on to the possibility of our loved ones recovering from near death, yet it is also possible that by doing so, we are prolonging their sufferings. Termination of life sustaining device may have acceptable reasons but the decision to make is too heavy for the heart. What's your take on this? Are you for or against termination of life sustaining system?

[Imoverthere]

To me, the use of the life support system can be, dare I say, selfish. Not for the person who is on it, but for the people who keep them hooked up to this machine so they can be alive when all they can possibly do is lay in the hospital bed, draining the money of their loved ones when they don't even have a say on it. When there is minimal hope for them to recover any, I wouldn't let them suffer much longer, I don't like making them stay alive when their body is only able to simply sit there, leaving them them with nothing to do with themselves. Of course, I wouldn't say to pull the plug when there is a decent recovery process going on, then I would see if they can get back on their feet in due time.

[mimi8zm]

If there is absolutely no chance for the person to recover and, like your example, was only "kept alive" with the machine, I probably would. But if he was like my dad, who still was aware of his surroundings and was responsive, I would never make that decision to remove the machines. He mentioned that he was tired and wanted to rest, but we encouraged him to hang on. He was still able to see his first grandchild (my sister's son). But a few months later, he passed away.

[Imoverthere]

Yeah, it's not easy at all to say that you should end the life of someone. It's a very tough thing to see through either way because they're suffering or they're passing away right then and there. It's painful to see, one way or another.

[arctic]

I agree to most of what all of you have said. It's unfair for the one suffering when all they wanted was to let go and free himself from the suffering. But at some situation, like some patient showing signs of fighting for his life, this life giving support must be given a chance for a time which may deem ideal. But if the patient says, he wants to go, heavy as it may seem, we have to learn to accept. Not that you would pull the life support out at once but when the situation obviously tells that it is over.